Page 41 of Second Chance Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings #5)

Caleb stood at the stove and tried to ignore the sound of the shower.

He didn’t want to think about the fact that just on the opposite side of the wall, Taylor was naked with water dripping down her bare skin.

Technically, she was his wife, but he still felt like it was wrong to be fantasizing about her, at least when he had any control over it.

His dreams were another story. Every single night when he closed his eyes, she was there.

Taylor starred in his dreams. Some dreams had been tame.

They walked on a beach, just like they had in Daytona Beach.

Other dreams had been triple X-rated. It had been a very long time since he’d been with someone, and it seemed his imagination was running wild with Taylor.

In his dreams, they’d had sex in the hospital, his office at the church, in his Jeep, and in almost every room of his house.

His phone vibrated on the counter, and when he saw who it was, he picked it up. “Hey, man.”

“Hey, just checking in. You need anything?” Josh asked.

Josh had been a rock for Caleb during the past couple of weeks while Taylor was in the hospital.

He was the only person who knew who Taylor was and that Owen was his son.

He figured it out when they got the call that Taylor was in the hospital.

But he hadn’t brought it up to Caleb again, other than just saying he was there when he needed or wanted to talk.

“I’m good. Taylor’s home.”

“Home at her place?”

“No. She’s here.”

“Oh, okay.” Josh sounded surprised.

Caleb knew that his friend was thinking the same thing that Taylor had brought up.

That it wouldn’t look right for her to be staying at his house, but he honestly didn’t care how it looked.

Taylor and Owen were his family; they had health issues, and he needed to care for them, and if that wasn’t enough, he’d seen the look on Owen’s face when he thought Martin found Taylor.

He’d never forget the look in his son’s eyes. It was fear. Real, tangible fear.

If anyone had a problem with how he was conducting his life, he honestly didn’t care. All he cared about was protecting and caring for his family.

“How’s Owen? I bet he’s happy his mom is home.”

“Yeah, he is. He didn’t know she was getting discharged, so he’s actually spending the night at Jonah’s.”

When Owen came home at four, he was shocked and excited to see his mom, but Jonah had already asked if he could spend the night.

Caleb was worried that Taylor would feel hurt by Owen’s reaction, but it was the opposite.

Taylor said that she was happy he still wanted to go to his friend’s house.

She said that’s exactly what any normal eleven-year-old would want to do.

Her only hesitation had been his health, but since Gabe was a firefighter with EMT training and they lived two blocks away, she said there was absolutely no logical reason for him not to go.

So, Owen packed a bag, and Caleb dropped him off at his friend’s house.

Taylor’s new plan was to talk to him and tell him everything when he got home tomorrow.

“So it’s just the two of you.”

“Well, four of us.” Caleb glanced down at Casper and Minnie, who were flanking him, waiting to scavenge any dropped scraps of food.

“Four? Oh, right. Well, Aud and I are here if you guys need anything.”

“Thanks, man.” He disconnected the call and had just turned the heat on the chicken to simmer when he heard Taylor’s voice behind him.

“Wow, that smells amazing.”

“It’s almost ready if you want to sit do…

” his words trailed off when he turned and saw her standing in his kitchen.

She was wearing one of his t-shirts, a pair of his sweats that were rolled up to fit her, and his socks, which were scrunched around her ankles.

“Wow, you look so...” He wanted to say sexy, but he wasn’t going to overstep.

Seeing her in his clothes did something to him.

It awakened something in him. A base primal instinct that made him want to rip them off of her, throw her over his shoulder, take her to bed, and claim her.

He cleared his throat and attempted to erase that image from his mind.

“You have some color back in your cheeks.”

She lifted her hand to her face. “Yeah, I actually feel good.”

Caleb spoke to her doctor yesterday afternoon. It was one of the benefits of playing the husband card. Dr. Carol warned him that, despite getting her energy back, she still needed to rest. It was imperative to her recovery. He had a feeling she was not going to be the most cooperative patient.

“I can help. What do you?—”

“I’m all good. What do you want to drink? Water or soda?”

“You don’t have to wait on me.” Taylor stepped into the kitchen.

Caleb moved so that he was standing between the cabinet and Taylor. He stared down at her. “Sit.”

At his gruff command, Taylor’s cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of pink.

A fire lit in her baby blues, and he could see that she wanted to argue with him, to assert her independence and tell him that she was more than capable of getting her own beverage.

They had a showdown, a mini staring contest, that ended with her relenting.

He had one W but he was far from winning the war in the battle of wills.

Taylor walked to the kitchen table and lowered into a seat.

“What can I get you?” he asked.

“Do you have wine?”

“Wine?” he repeated, then mentally scanned the warning labels he’d read on the medications she’d been sent home with. None of them said anything about not mixing with alcohol.

“Oh, wait, do you not drink? Do pastors drink? Is it a sin? I know there was something about water into wine, but I don’t know the rules. I’m sorry.”

Caleb could see that she wasn’t being a smartass; she genuinely didn’t know what the rules were and didn’t want to offend him.

“There’s no universal rule about alcohol in Christianity. Some denominations have strict guidelines about alcohol and, well, a lot of things. But that’s more about religion than a relationship with God. I believe it’s a personal choice.”

“And what is your personal choice?” she asked.

“I believe that it’s fine in moderation, as long as it doesn’t negatively impact your life or others, and you’re not using it as an escape or a way to numb or not face emotions. Basically, if it is unhealthy in any way.”

“Oh, well, if that’s the definition, then I guess my relationship with ice cream is a sin.”

Caleb couldn’t help but smile as he opened his fridge and grabbed a Pinot Grigio he’d been gifted and then grabbed a Merlot from the rack on the counter. “Red or white?”

“White, please.”

Caleb poured her a glass and delivered it to her, then plated her dinner and served her. He’d made chicken with rice and veggies. He synced his Spotify easy listening playlist to his Bluetooth speaker and made his own plate. By the time he sat down, he was happy to see she’d already started eating.

Her eyes were closed as she chewed. The noises she made were what he’d heard described as a foodgasm.

Once she swallowed, she took a sip of wine and exhaled as she cut into her next bite.

“This is so good. And I’m not just saying that because I’ve been eating hospital food for the past ten days,” she qualified as she brought her fork loaded with chicken to her mouth, closed her eyes, and moaned as the clean prongs slowly slid out between her lips.

He was happy to see her eating with such enthusiasm.

His brain knew that the sounds she was making were food-related pleasure; unfortunately, his dick was not as discerning.

His jeans were getting uncomfortably snug to the point that if he had to stand and grab anything from the kitchen, it would prove embarrassing.

Caleb shifted in his seat when his watch vibrated and he saw that it was a message from his mom, which was the equivalent of a cold shower. He opened the text and selected a quick reply.

“Is everything okay?” Taylor asked.

“Yeah, it’s my mom. She was asking how you are.” He pressed send and looked back up at Taylor as her eyes widened.

“Oh…does she know about?—”

“No,” he assured her. “My parents know that Owen’s been staying here and that you passed out at the book club and were in the hospital.

My mom knew about that happening before Owen and I got home from the emergency room the night you were admitted.

They’ve been checking in every day to see how you are and how Owen is.

They’ve both met him, actually, during Bingo.

I didn’t know that, but they told me when they found out he was staying here.

But they don’t know our history, that he’s my son, or that we’re married. ”

She nodded and looked down at her meal, pushing her chicken around on her plate as she questioned, “Does anyone know that…any of that?”

“Josh does.”

“Josh?” Her eyes flew up to meet his. “ Audrey’s Josh?”

Caleb could hear the panic in Taylor’s voice.

“He hasn’t said anything to anyone. Not even Audrey.

” At least Caleb didn’t think he had. He hadn’t come right out and asked him, but he knew Josh better than just about anyone, and he didn’t think he would tell anyone, even his wife, without running it by Caleb first. “He figured it out right before we got the call that you were in the hospital. He was there, in Daytona, and he recognized you at the coffee shop. He mentioned that you reminded him of the girl from that weekend, Rebecca. Then, as he was telling me that, it dawned on him that Audrey said your first name was Rebecca, but you go by Taylor. Then he looked up and saw Owen shoot the basketball with the same stance, technique, and swagger that I have,” he teased, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

“He watched as Owen sank the ball, then cracked the knuckles on his middle fingers with his thumbs.”

“…with his thumbs,” she said at the same time as him.